


Cook-Off for Two, Decision for One

by LadyNightingGaleofMilvania



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: A little bit of food porn, And it's not him, Established Relationship, Gotta choose a winner, Ignis and Nyx both cook, It's a COOK-OFF BABY, M/M, as a treat, poor Gladio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:14:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22634128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNightingGaleofMilvania/pseuds/LadyNightingGaleofMilvania
Summary: Ignis and Nyx bother frequently made food for everyone, but one day a question had been raised: Who was the better cook? Now Gladiolus has to choose between both of his competitive boyfriends, and in the end they'll all know the answer.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia/Nyx Ulric
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	Cook-Off for Two, Decision for One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [whythekwehnot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whythekwehnot/gifts).



Gladiolus sat in a chair, sweating despite being nowhere near the kitchen. Ignis and Nyx were both amazing chefs, making Gladio feel spoiled at every meal… or at least until Noctis and Prompto had opened their mouths about who was better. Ignis whirled about, knife flashing dangerously as he chopped vegetables at lightning speed, meanwhile Nyx was preheating his oven and firing up a pan to cook some of his meat. Gladio had seen the two cook often enough, seen enough of their top-notch skills, to realize that the choice at the end of this cook-off was going to end in two losers, himself being one of them.

“I’m so sorry, Gladio,” Prompto apologized quietly, scratching at the back of his head.

“I’m not, I wanna know who is better,” Noctis smirked, pulling Prompto against him as he rested a chin on the blond’s shoulder.

“Yeah, well you’ll be the one responsible for my murder,” Gladio replied with a gulp.

Ignis leaned back, lips close to Nyx’s ear as they moved silently. Whatever he said caused Nyx to grin for a second until he dropped his vegetables when Ignis snaked his tongue out and pulled the lobe into his mouth, grazing it with his teeth.

“That’s dirty, Igs,” Nyx growled out in a husky voice.

“Who said that there were rules?” Ignis replied as he leaned forward and put some oil into his frying pan.

Ignis stepped away for a moment as he and Nyx both searched the fridge and pulled out some different meats, Nyx grabbing two while Ignis only grabbed a single plastic-wrapped portion. Gladio swallowed as his mouth began to salivate at the sight: Nyx held a package of thick-cut garula bacon and a large portion of some no-doubt high quality ground beef, meanwhile Ignis had a behemoth steak large enough to feed seven people─or at least it would if there hadn’t been two men in the house that both had voracious appetites.

Ignoring Nyx, Ignis confidently strode back to his pan where he then laid the large piece of steak, stirring them around so that they would do so evenly and burn less. Nyx, on the other hand, opened grabbed several other things from the fridge, putting most by the chopping board on his side as he put the rest on the other counter near him. Quickly, Nyx turned and pulled Ignis toward him, the bespectacled man letting out an undignified squeak that caused his face to redden as the air crackled quietly. Gladio knew that Nyx had charged the air, also knowing that it meant the hand that had pulled Ignis against him was sending a small current along his skin that caused goosebumps to appear on the man’s flesh.

“Nyx Ulric,” Ignis finally choked out, his body stiff as a board as white knuckles grasped his pan, “What do you think you’re─”

“Hey baby,” Nyx purred as he grabbed the salt and pepper grinders, “I didn’t want to hit you in the head, I’d feel bad if that happened while you were cooking.”

Gladio adjusted his pants, shifting positions as he did so as to relieve any  _ discomfort _ that he might have experienced at the sight. Nyx, now back at his station, had cracked a few eggs into a bowl and was chopping up bell peppers and several different mushrooms. Ignis on his side had summoned his daggers once he threw some onions into a pan, using the blades to slice thin pieces of cheese since the onions had begun to sizzle away and the steak was now letting off a tantalizing aroma. On the other side, Nyx had summoned fire in a hand, placing a skillet atop his fingers like a sort of makeshift burner as he laid the thick strips of bacon in it and then a splatter guard on top to prevent any unfortunate splashes of bacon grease that may occur while the strips cooked inside.

Gladio had gone camping with Nyx several times, the man always insisting on doing this very trick, even though it was completely unnecessary, simply because he knew the Gladiolus always loved watching Nyx execute it. Nyx had explained once that the magic of summoning the fire created a sort of barrier that protected your hand from the flame and, with some small experiments Nyx had done on his own time, he had discovered that it had translated to other things too. If you went ice fishing and covered your hands with ice magicks then the cold permeated less, summon flames and you could technically cook with your hands alone. It didn’t mean you didn’t get burned, or that frostbite wouldn’t be a concern, but it sure as hell helped. Ignis had put a stop to any further experiments, insisting that it posed too much danger, and Nyx had relented so long as he could still cook with his hands to which Ignis had sighed in reluctant agreement.

As Nyx cooked the bacon carefully with one hand, he opened the ground meat with the other and put it in the bowl with the chopped veggies, mushrooms, and eggs, mixing with the same free hand until they started incorporating. At that point he set down the pan of bacon and popped open some spices he had already put on his counter before he and Ignis had even started cooking, sprinkling some into the meat before mixing just a little more. It didn’t need much in the way of spices, not if he wanted the meat to shine through on its own. When he was finally finished, Nyx quickly formed the patties and laid them in another pan.

Ignis on the other side was saut é ing florets of broccoli in butter. Gladio could tell that the cook-off wouldn’t last much longer and he tried to swallow even though his throat was dry as a desert. Gladio had no idea how he’d choose a winner. Prompto and Noctis were judging as well, but in the end everyone knew that the winner would be chosen by Gladiolus himself. As time ticked away and the dishes became more and more completed Gladio fidgeted in his seat, watching his two boyfriends flirt─one obviously more shameless than the other─with each other, with Gladio, and sometimes both. When finally everything was plated Gladio, Prompto, and Noctis all sat drooling over the meals before them. Nyx’s burger and fries─which he had peeled and cooked himself while Gladio had been distracted by Ignis─smelled like a meal presented by the Astrals. When Gladio bit into the bun he couldn’t help but moan as he chewed. The meat was juicy and tender, spices showing through just enough to enhance what the high-grade meat already brought to the literal table. The thick-cut bacon atop the crisp lettuce brought everything together, while the melting cheese was sending his taste buds soaring.

“Hey Nyx, why don’t you ever cook this for us?” Noctis asked, Prompto nodding fervently with his mouth full of food.

“Never asked,” Nyx snickered back.

Noctis and Prompto both stopped halfway through the burger and fries, trying to save room for Ignis’ dish that was no doubt just as good as Nyx’s, meanwhile Gladio scarfed down the meal in its entirety as I gnis sat down the next and final round of food. Gladio cut into it to reveal that it had been cooked medium rare, which Gladio much prefered. The meat practically melted in his mouth, the sauce that Ignis had drizzled on top lightly coated his tongue and sent goosebumps across his skin. Then there was the broccoli. While it was fully cooked, Ignis had managed to keep that crunch that Gladio always craved.

Looking at both empty plates before him Gladio remembered that there had to be a winner, Ignis and Nyx staring holes into Gladiolus even though he couldn’t see them. While Nyx’s burger was good, Gladio honestly wished the patty had been thinner and that there had been more cheese present in it, meanwhile Ignis’ steak had been divine but he would have liked more sauce to dip each piece in. Gladio kept going back and forth in his mind about which one might have been better. While he deliberated, Gladio heard footsteps head away from him, and looking up he saw that both Ignis and Nyx had begun to wash each dish and pan and utensil they had used in their cooking, Prompto and Noctis having cleared the table off and brought the remaining dishes to the sink. Ignis and Nyx laughed, bumping into each other on purpose and exchanging a chaste kiss before returning to the work and chatting with Noctis and Prompto. 

Gladio realized that, even though choosing a winner was going to be tough, and he loved both men dearly, they both had to realize that the choice was tough on him as well, even if he would likely be in the doghouse for a bit while the loser had to concede defeat to Gladiolus’ choice. By the time everything had been cleaned up Gladio had made his choice, placing both hands in his lap and fiddling with his thumbs in an attempt to ease his nerves.

“Made your choice, Gladiolus?” Ignis asked, one side of his lips quirking up in an almost Nyx-like smirk.

“C’mon babe, who’s better? Me, or Igs?” Nyx tacked on, grin reaching from ear to ear.

“Gods this was a tough choice,” Gladio sighed, his thumbs going still as he looked up at the two men he loved with all his heart.

“Keeping us in suspense isn’t gonna do anything,” Noctis said, walking over to stand behind Gladio’s chair, “Just gotta say it, too late to back out now.”

“Right,” Gladio nodded with another sigh as he looked to Ignis, “Well you both kinda made my favorite foods. Iggy you know I can’t resist a good steak, but Nyx,” at this Gladio turned his gaze to his other boyfriend, “you know I’m a sucker for a damn good bacon cheeseburger and fries.”

Ignis and Nyx both traded guilty smiles at Gladio’s note toward them, unable to deny that they had indeed made the choices in full consciousness of trying to outdo the other with a favored dish.

“I almost tried to convince myself I could say it was a tie, but I knew that nobody in this room would let me get away with that. So in the end the winner is…”

Prompto jumped from foot to foot while Ignis and Nyx both stood looking as unfazed as one possibly could, almost as though this decision were nothing more than what they were going to wear that day.

“Ignis,” Gladio said, Ignis’ smile growing wider until the next words that left Gladio’s mouth, “I’m so sorry, I had to go with Nyx.”

Nyx let out a loud whoop while Ignis stood stock still for a moment, a small amount of frustration showing through for a moment before he smoothed out his features and Gladio walked forward and embraced him.

“You won’t hold this against me?” Gladio had to ask, hugging tightly.

“Of course not, dear,” Ignis said, returning the embrace, “I get competitive, I won’t lie, but this doesn’t necessarily mean I’m better or worse than Nyx in the long run.”

When the two parted Nyx had his arms crossed and wore a lopsided smile until Gladio approached him as well, receiving a kiss on his cheek and a hearty laugh.

“Knew I couldn’t go wrong with that burger, bacon is your weakness.”

“Yeah, it kinda is.”

The five shared a laugh at that as they made their way out to enjoy the rest of the day ahead of them.


End file.
